Tackling the Trot!

Bounce, Bounce, Bounce! Sometimes trotting can seem very bumpy and fast-especially if the horse has long strides and is extremely springy. But you can't refuse to ride a horse just because he's got a bumpy trot, can you? A god rider should be able to ride any type of horse-no matter how high he bounces you out of the saddle. Don't worry-if you a bumpy horse regulary, you'll soon get use to the up-and-down motion, and ride him like you do any other horse.Trotting is a two-beat gait. This means that when you listen to the footfalls, it sounds like "one-twp, one-two." When a horse trots, he springs from one diagonal pair of legs to the other. The frount left leg and the rear right leg move forward together. In between this movement is a second when the horse is completely off the ground. This is why the trot feels so bumpy.

Asking for the Trot

Your position at the trot should be the same as the walk.

* Look in the direction you are going

* Keep your albows close to your body.

* Keep your hands even and near to the withers.

* Sit deep in the saddle and keep your back straight.

* Stretch your legs down and keep them close to your horse's sides. * Shorthen your reins sightly.

* Squeeze whit your legs several times until your horse trots.

Posting to the Trot

Posting (rising) makes trotting more comfortable and less tiring for both you and your pony. When you post, the up-and-down motion of the horse lifts you up out of the saddle naturally. Rise up when one diagonal pair of legs lifts off the ground, and sit down as the same pair returns to the ground. Posting is usually easyunless the horse you'r riding is really bouncy. If you're finding it difficut=lt to post, count "one-two, one-two" to yourself as your pony moves along. Rise on "one" and sit on "two."

Here are some pictures of a posting trot

Diagonals

If you take lessons, you've probably had an instructor shout, " You're on the wrong diagonal!" Whoops! What's a diagonal? Diagonals are a way of making sure you are up out of the saddle-or sitting down in rhe saddle-on the correct beat. The diagonal you should be on depends on which direction your horse is traveling in the arena. If you're on the correct diagonal, it's easier for your horse to stay balanced.

Cheacking Your Diagonal

It's easy to check if you're on the correct diagonal. Just look down with your eyes-not your whole head-and look at your horse's outside foreleg. Whenit's forward, you should be up out of your saddle. When it's back, you should be sitting in the saddle.